System for control of bodies by radiant energy



J. H. HAMMOND, JR. SYSTEM FOR CONTROL OF BODIES BY RADIANT ENERGY. APPLICATION FILED JULY 14, m3- RENEWED MAY 2.1922.

Patented June 6, 1922.

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JOHN HAYS HAMMOND, JR., OF GLOUCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

SYSTEM FOR CONTROL OF BODIES BY RADIANT ENERGY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J1me e, 1922.

Application filed July 14, 1913, Serial No. 778,829. Renewed May 2, 1922. Serial No. 558,041.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I. JOHN HAYS HAM- MOND, Jr., a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Gloucester, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have in vented an Improvement in Systems for Control of Bodies by Radiant Energy, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to the control of moving bodies at a distance by radiant energy.

In order that the principle of the invention may be readily understood, I have disclosed a single embodiment thereof in the accompanying drawing, wherein Fig. 1 is a view, mainly diagrammatic but partially in plan and partially in transverse section, of one form of apparatus for practicing my invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section upon the line 2--2 of Fig. 1. f

In order to control moving bodies at a distance by radiant energy, such for example as vessels, it has heretofore been necessary ,that the operator shall, at all times, be in touch with and directing the mechanism on board the vessel or other body which he is guiding. In practice and particularly in controlling the course of a torpedo or other moving vessel by radiant energy, I have found that prior to my present invention and that disclosed in my companion application Serial No. 778,828, there hasbeen a constant need of sending signals, in order to rectify the course of such vessel, due to errors arising from wave. wind, current and other phenomena. One important object of my invention is to provide improved means for maintaining a definite, predetermined or fixed direction of movement of the propelled merit, and who may then, by proper wave emission from the control station, direct the course of the vessel. For the accomplishmerit of my purpose, I employ a suitable controller, preferably a gyroscope, which will keep the vessel on a) fixed or predetermined course, except at such times as the operator shall change the course by proper wave emission from some control station. I thereby obviate the necessity of constant wave emission from the control station, and therefore greatly minimize the possibility of the enemy determining the wave length or wave characteristic used in the control of the torpedo or other vessel, and thereupon interfering with the control thereof. In accordance with my. invention, I provide for the utilization of difierent radiant energy characteristics, herein disclosed as electromagnetic, for modifying or varying the control of the vessel or otherbody by the gyroscope or other controller. In the preferred embodiment of the invention described hereinafter, I have disclosed the employment of electromagnetic waves of different lengths.

Referring to the drawing, wherein I have shown a single embodiment of means for carrying out my invention, I have indicated at 1 an open, oscillatory circuit connected to the windings 2, 3 of two closed oscillatory circuits 4, 5, the former having therein a suitable detector of electrical oscillations 6 and the latter havingtherein asuitable detector of electric oscillations 7 the said detectors 6, 7 responding to dilferent electrical frequencies or characteristics, the distant operator transmitting two wave lengths as circumstances may require,. to which said detectors are 'respectively, responsive. Within the scope of my invention, any contrasting Wave characteristics may be employed, but preferably I employ contrasting wave lengths.

Although I have herein indicated the use merely of two different wave lengths, it 15 to be understood that in other forms of my invention I may utilize more than two different wave lengths or wave characteristics,

if desired.

The circuit 4 is provided with a sensitive relay 8 or other contact-making dev1ce, and the circuit 5 is provided with a SQIISIlBIVG relay or other contact-making device 9. The circuits 4 and 5 respectively have therein solenoids 10 and 11 controlling cores or plungers 12 and 13 preferably constituting in effect pawls and which are represented as provided with coil springs 14 and lo by which they are projected into the position shown when neither closed oscillatory circuit is responding to electrical vibrations transmitted by the distantoperator.

I preferably providea controller which in the disclosedform of the invention is a gyroscope and provide suitable connections between said gyroscope and the rudder means or other suitablev steering device for the vessel, and I also provide suitable means intermediate said rudder means or steering means and the cores or plungers 12 and. 13, whereby when. desired the distant operator may deviate the course of the vessel from the straight ahead, predetermined or definite course. on which it is maintained by the said gyroscope,

Inthefigures, I have represented the hollow shaft 16, the.upper.end of which is con? neoted toor forms a part of the gyroscope (not otherwise shown), and which is therefore -maintained. fixedly in space thereby. The said-shaft 16 is preferably provided .with twonupnight passages 17 and. 18, the

former connected to some suitable supply of fluid pressure, such, for example,

as: a tank of compressed air (not shown).

The-passage 18: represents an exhaust pase for the fluidunderpressure.

sa he passages 17 and 18 are represented as provided, respectively with outwardly directed, lower ends 19, 20 extending to the outer edge of-ithe lower, enlarged, disk-like end 21 ofzsaid shaft;16; Loosely surrounding the said loweriend of-the shaft 16 is a rm with the. hull ;23 of the vessel as diagram -matically indicated in Fig. 2. The said ring. 22 isprovided throughout the. desired or necessary portion of its periphery with ratchet :teeth; 24,; .24 with which the toothed.

end 25, 26'. of either core or plunger 12. or. 13 may engage; when energized through the eoscillatorycirouitiin which it is positioned.

Normally neither core or plungeris in engagement with: the ratchet teeth of the ring 22ybut when the said detector of the circuit 4- responds to wave emissions from the distantoperator the core or plunger 12 engages the ratchet teeth of the ring and turns the.

same in a .clockwise direction. Similarly when the detector ofthe circuit 5 responds to wave. emissions from the distant operator,

the ring is turned in acontraclockwisedirection.

I rovide suitable means of which I have disc osed one. embodiment, whereby upon themovement of thering 22 in either a clockwise or a contraclockwise direction, the.rud-' der means .or other suitable steering device is acted upon to deflector deviate the vessel 22; which is in frictional engagement.

register with the extension 19 of*the fluid pressure admission passage 17. The said ring is also provided with two exhaust passages 29 and 30, which are similarly adapted to be brought into registerv with the outwardly directed extension 20 of the exhaust passage 18.

In any suitable manner, the passages 27 and. 28 are adapted to bebrought into communication with a suitable cylinder 31 which is provided with a piston 32, the plun.- ger 33 of which constitutes a portion of the rudder means and is connected in any suitable manner to the rudder of the. vessel. Herein for the purpose I have represented the ring 22 as having circumferentially extending passages 3 1,. 35 constituting continr uations respectively of the passages 27, 28, and I provide suitable pipes or passages 36, 37, which are connected to the cylinder 31 upon opposite sides of'the piston 32 thereof and which are maintained in communication with the fluid admission passages 27, 28 or the extensions 34, 35 thereof. In this manner the fluidunderpressureentering through the passage 17 is admitted into whichever of the passages 27, 28 may be brought into reg ister with the said passage 17, whereby the said fluid isadmitted into the proper end of thecyli-nder 31 and the piston 32 thereof is thereby moved to. turn the rudder and turn: the vessel from its predetermined or straight ahead course. When the admission passage 27 is, by the energization ofethe solenoid 12, brought in. register or communication with the passage17 and its extension 19, the exhaust passage 29 of the ring. 22 is brought into communication with the exhaust passage. 18 and-its extension 20 of the shaft 16; and I have herein represented the said exhaust passage 29 as connected by a pipe or passage 38 with the cylinder 31 at theside of the piston 32 opposite to which fluid pressure is admitted by the passage 27. Similarly when the fluid admission passage 28 of the ring 22 is brought into register or communication with the fluid admission passage 17 upon energization of the core. or plunger 13, then the exhaust passage 30 of the ring 22- is brought in register with the exhaust passage 18 of the shaft 16, and I have herein represented. said exhaust passage 30 as in communication by a pipe or passage 39 with the cylinder 31 at the end opposite that to. which the pipe or passage 38 is connected:

Preferably the exhaust passages 29 and 30 are provided with circumferential extens ons 10, 41 generally similar in construction and'purpose to the extensions 34, 35.

So long as the cores or plun ers 12 and 13 remain disconnected from t e ring 22, the gyroscope. acts through its shaft 16 to maintain the vessel upon its predetermined or straight-ahead course, inasmuch as if the hull of the vessel tends to turn to port or to starboard, it will, through frictional engagement therewith, cause the ring 22 to turn in one direction or the other, thus bringing the inlet passage 27 or the inlet passage 28 into register with the admission passage 17, so as thereby to turn the rudder suflicientlyto overcome the tendency of the hull to deviate.

When, however, the distant operator wishes to deflect the vessel from its predetermined or straight-ahead course upon which it is maintained by the gyroscope, he will transmit wave lengths of frequencies or wave characteristics to which the circuit containing detector 6 or the detector 7 is responsive, as the case may be, so as through the described connections to turn the rudder to port or to starboard, thereby to turn the vessel in the described direction.

It will be understood that the distant operator may keep either passage 27 or 28 in communication with the admission passage 17 as long as desired, by continuing to send impulses to which the proper circuit is responsive, thereby continuing to energize the proper core or plunger 12 or 13. It will also be understood that the vessel or other body may be propelled in any suitable manner. I am not limited to the employment of different electrical characteristics, as I may employ any different radiant energy characteristics. I herein employ the terms frequencies, characteristics and values in a broad sense.

Having thus described one illustrative embodiment of my invention, I desire it to be understood that although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims.

Claims- 1. A system for controlling the operation of moving bodies at a distance by radiant energy, including in combination, a

body to be propelled provided with means to maintain a predetermined or definite direction of bodily movement thereof, and means responsive to different wave lengths to modify by radiant energy from a distance the directional action of said direction-maintaining means.

2. A system for controlling the operation of moving bodies at a distance by radiant energy including in combination. a body to be propelled provided with means to maintain a predetermined or definite direction of bodily movement thereof, and means responsive only to different radiant energy characteristics to modify by radiant energy from a distance the directional action of said direction-maintaining means.

3. A system for controlling the operation of moving bodies at a distance by radlant energy including in combination, a body to be propelled, provided with a controller to maintain a redetermined or definite direction of bodi y movement thereof, and means responsive to different wave lengths to change the course of said body.

4. A system for controlling the operation of moving bodies at a distance by radiant energy including in combination a vessel having a gyroscope to maintain a predetermined or definite direction of bodily movement thereof, and means responsive to different wave lengths to change the course of said vessel.

5. A system for controlling the operation .of moving bodies at a distance by radiant energy including in combination a vessel having a gyroscope to maintain a predetermined 'or \definite direction of bodily movement thereof,a plurality of circuits responding to different electrical frequencies, and means actuated thereby to change the course of said vessel.

6. A system of controlling the operation of moving bodies at a distance by radiant energy including in combination a vessel havinga gyroscope to maintain a predeand means actuated thereby to deflect the vessel to port or to starboard.

7. A system for controlling the operation of moving bodies at a distance by radiant energy including in combination a vessel having a gyroscope tomaintain a redetermined or definite direction of bodi y movement thereof, a plurality of circuits respending to different electrical frequencies, and fluid pressure means rendered operable thereby to change the course of the vessel.

8. A system for controlling the'operation of moving bodies at a distance by radiant energy including in combination a vessel having a gyroscope to maintain a predetermined or definite direction of bodily movement thereof, fluid pressure controlled rudder means responsive to said gyroscope, and means responsive to different wavelengths and operablethrough said rudder means to change the course of the vessel.

9. A system for controlling the operationof moving bodies at a distance by radiantenergy including in combination a vessel having a gyroscope to maintain a-predetermined or definite direction of bodily movement thereof, rudder means, solenoids energized through different electrical characteristics or values and operative connections between said solenoids and said rudder means.

11. Asystemlfor-controlling the operation of moving bodies at a distance by radiant "energy including in combination a vessel having a gyroscope to maintain a predetermined or definite direction of bodily movement=thereof, a plurality of solenoids energized through different electrical frequencies,

iamember movableby said solenoids, rudder mined on definite direction of bodily move ment thereof, a member rotatable in opposite directions, a pair of solenolds energized through different electrical frequencies, rudder means, andoperative connections be tween said member and said rudder means. '13. A system for controlllng the operation of'moving bodies at a distance by radiant: energy including 1n combination a .vessel having a gyroscope to maintain a predetermined or definite direction of bodily movement thereof, a member rotatable in opposite directions, a pair of solenoids energized through different electrical frequencies, rudder means, and fluid pressure operative conneotions between said rotary member and said ruddermeans.

14. A system for controlling the operation of-moving bodies at-a distance by radiantv energy including in combination a vessel having a gyroscope to maintain a predetermined or definite -direction of bodily movementthereof, a member rotatable in opposite directions, lineans controlled thereby to change the course of the vessel to port or to starboard, from said first mentioned directionand circuits responding to different electrical characteristics or values to effect the rotation of said member.

15. A system for controlling the operation of-moving bodies at a distance by radiant energy including in combination a vessel having a gyroscope to maintain a predetermined or definite direction of "bodily movement thereof, rudder means, fluid pressure means operatively connected therewith, and means responsive to different wave lengths to control the operation of said fluid pres- -J $111 6 means.

ment thereof,- rudderrmeans, fill-lid pressure connections between: said gyroscope and said rudder means, and means responsive to; different wave lengths, to modify by radiant energyfrom a distance, the action of-said gyroscope upon said fluid pressure connections.

17. A system foncontrolling the operation; of moving bodies at a distance by-v radiant energy including in combination a vessel having a: gyroscope to -maintain a predatormined or definite direction of bodily movement thereof, rudder means, pneumatic means operatively connected to said rudder means and through which: the gyroscope. may maintain the vessel in said predetermined or definite direction, and means responsivevto different wave lengths and -act-: ing through said pneumatic means to change the course of the vessel to port or to starboard. 18. A system for controlling theoperation of moving bodies at a distance byv radiant energy including in combinationa vessel having a gyroscope to maintain a predetermined or' definite direction of bodily movement thereof, rudder means influenced by said gyroscope, a member movable in opposite-directions and operatively connected to the rudder means to change the course of the vessel, and means responsive to different, Wave lengths to act upon said "member.

19. A system for controlling the operation of moving bodies at-a distance'by. radiant energy including in. combination, a body; to be propelled, provided with means to maintain a predetermined or definite direction of bodily movement thereof, means responding to certain wave frequencies to turn'said body to the right, and means responding to other wave frequenciesto turn said bodyto the left.

A system for controlling the operation of moving bodies at a distance by radiant energy including incombination, a body to be propelled provided with rudder means, controlling means to cooperate with the rudder meansto maintain a predetermined or definite direction of bodily movement thereof, and means responsive to different wave characteristics to vary the control of the body by said controller through said rudder means and to steer. the body.

21. A system for controlling the operation of moving bodies at a distance by radiant energy including in combination, a body to be propelled provided withrudder,;means,

controlling means to cooperate with the rudof, and means responsive to difi'e'rent wave characteristics to modify the control of the body by said controller through said rudder means and to steer the body.

22. Asystem for controlling the operation of moving bodies at a distance by radiant energy including in combination a body to be propelled provided with rudder means, controlling means to cooperate with the rudder means to maintain a predetermined or definite direction of bodily movement thereof, and means responsive to different wave characteristics to effect the control of the body by said controller through the rudder means and to steer the body without reference to the direction which would otherwise be imposed upon said body by said controller.

23. A system for controlling the operation of moving bodies at a distance by radiant energy including in combination, a vessel having a gyroscope to maintain a predetermined or definite direction of bodily movement, and means responsive to differ-' ent wave characteristics to change the course of said vessel.

24. A system for controlling the operation of moving bodies at a distance by radiant energy including in combination, a body to be propelled provided with means to maintain a predetermined or definite direction of bodily movement thereof, and means responsive to different electrical wave characteristics to modify by radiant energy from a distance the directional action of the direction-maintaining means.

25. A system for controlling the operation of moving bodies. at a distance by radiant energy including in combination, a body to be propelled provided with a controller to maintain a predetermined or definite direction of bodily movement thereof. and means responsive to definite radiant energy wave characteristics to change the course of said body.

26. A system for controlling the operation of moving bodies at a distance by radiant energy including in combination. a vessel having a gyroscope to maintain a predetermined or definite direction of bodily movement thereof, and means responsive only to different radiant energy characteristics. to change the course of said vessel.

27. A system for controlling the operation of moving bodies at a distance by radiant energy including in combination. a vessel having a gyroscope to maintain the predetermined or definite direction of bodily movement thereof, and means responsive to different Wave characteristics to change the course of said vessel.

28. A system for controlling the operation of moving bodies at a distance by radiant energy including in combination, a vessel having a gyroscope to maintain a predetermined or definite direction of bodilv movement thereof, fluid pressure controlled rudder means responsive to said gyroscope, and means responsive only to different characteristics of radiant energy and operable through 29. The con'lbination with amovable body,

of means operative to stabilize said body with respect to a given axis, and means responsive to different radiant energy char-- acteristics to modify the automatic action of said stabilizing means and to rotate said body selectively about said axis in either direction.

30. The combination with a movable body, of means automatically operative to stabilize said body with respect to a given axis, and means responsive only to different radiant energy characteristics to modify the automatic action of said stabilizing means and to rotate said body selectively about said axis in either direction.

31. The combination with a movable body, of means operative to stabilize said body with respect to a given axis, and means responsive to different radiant energy characteristics to modify the automatic action of said stabilizing means and to rotate said body selectively about said axis in either direction and to any extent desiredin either case.

32. The combination with a movable body, of means automatically operative to stabilize said body with respect to a given axis, and means including two devices responsive to different radiant energy characteristics re spectively to modify the action of said stabilizing means and to rotate said body about said axis.

The combination with a movable body,

of means automatically operative to stabilize spectively to modify the action of said stabilizing means and to rotate said body about said axis.

34. The combination with a movable body, of means automatically operative to stabilize said body with respect to a given axis, and means including two devices responsive to different radiant energy characteristics respectively to modify the action of said stabilizing means and to rotate said body about said axis to any desired extent.

35. The combination with a movable body, of means automatically operative to stabilize said body with respect to a given axis, and means including two devices responsive to different radiant energy characteristics respectively to modify the action of said stabi lizing means and to rotate said body about said axis in either direction.

36, The combination with a movable body. of means automatically operative to stabilize said body with respect to a given axis, and means including two devices responsive to different radiant energy characteristics respectively to modify the action of said stabi- 'liz/ing 'means and to rotate said body about said axis to any desired extent in either direction.

' 37. The combination with a movable body, of means automatically operative to stabilize said body with respect-to a given axis and means including a plurality of tuned oscil- 'latory circuits respectively responsive to a I plurality of radiantenergycharacteristics latory circuits respectively responsive only to a plurality of= radiant energy characteristics to modify the effect of said stabilizing means and to rotatesa id body about said axis.

:39. The combination with a movable body,

of means automatically operative to stabilize said body with respect to a given axis, and a plurality of devices responsive respectively to different characteristics of radiant energy, and operative to rotate said body in opposite directions respectively about said axis. 40. The combination with a=movable body, of means automatically operative to stabilize said body with respect to a. given axis, and a plurality of devices responsive respectively only to different characteristics-of radiant energy, and operative to rotate said body in opposite directions respectively about said axis.

In testimony whereof,'I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. 

